Tide and Tower

Tide and Tower asks you to plan a settlement along a shifting shoreline, then defend it as the water and rival clans push back. Every building placement matters because space is tight and the tide reclaims poorly chosen plots. It's a slower burn than most mobile strategy games.

I liked that combat and building feel connected. You can't just wall up and turtle; you need trade routes and scouts to survive the longer campaigns. The AI put up a fair fight without feeling like it was reading my mind.

The interface takes a while to learn and menus can feel busy on a phone. Push through the first hour, though, and there's a rewarding loop of expansion and defense underneath.

What we liked

• Terrain that changes how you plan
• Meaningful link between economy and defense
• Long campaigns with real replay value